Tim Tebow answers a question during a interview on the set of ESPN’s new SEC Network in Charlotte, N.C., Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2014. Tebow has a new job as a commentator for the SEC Network, but is still looking for work in the NFL as a quarterback. (Chuck Burton, The Associated Press)

Ben Roethlisberger, left, said he was “hurt” by Emmanuel Sanders’ comments. (Getty Images; John Leyba, The Denver Post)

Late last month, during an interview on The Fan 104.3, Broncos receiver Emmanuel Sanders was asked the difference between Peyton Manning and Ben Roethlisberger, with whom he spent four seasons in Pittsburgh.

“I feel like Peyton is a far better leader, in terms of staying after practice, catching balls, wanting guys to get on the same page with him, things of that sort,” Sanders had said. “This is the first time that I’ve had a quarterback that every single day after practice — no matter what his accolades, NFL MVP, Super Bowl ring — he keeps guys like me and [rookie receiver Cody] Latimer after practice. … He’s not one of those guys you’ve got to chase down. He’s going to be right in the same spot, ready to work, every single day. I just feel like that’s a difference from a mental standpoint.

“I’ve got so much love for Ben. At the same time, I’m not going to lie. I’m happy to be part of this organization and happy that Peyton is my quarterback.”

Sanders took heat for those comments, namely from Antonio Brown, his former Steeler teammate who said they were “disrespectful.” The Broncos reciever stood by his comments, though, and said he doesn’t regret them.Read more…

The Bronco newcomer has admitted repeatedly that he’s still getting acclimated with Denver’s system and playing alongside Peyton Manning. But on Monday, Sanders joined The Fan 104.3 in Denver and said that he’s noticed one considerable difference, among others, between Manning and his former quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger.

“I feel like Peyton is a far better leader, in terms of staying after practice, catching balls, wanting guys to get on the same page with him, things of that sort,” Sanders said. “This is the first time that I’ve had a quarterback that every single day after practice — no matter what his accolades, NFL MVP, Super Bowl ring — he keeps guys like me and [rookie receiver Cody] Latimer after practice. … He’s not one of those guys you’ve got to chase down. He’s going to be right in the same spot, ready to work, every single day. I just feel like that’s a difference from a mental standpoint.

“I’ve got so much love for Ben,” Sanders added. “At the same time, I’m not going to lie. I’m happy to be part of this organization and happy that Peyton is my quarterback.” Read more…

Kevin Campbell tailgates with “The Drive” bus painted with Denver Broncos team colors at the south side of Sports Authority Field at Mile High in Denver on Jan. 18, 2014. (Hyoung Chang, The Denver Post)

Good Sunday morning, Broncos fans. This is your Broncos Game Day Insider:

GAME TIME: It has been 2,918 DAYS since the Denver Broncos last had an opportunity to play in the AFC championship (Jan. 22, 2006, vs. the Pittsburgh Steelers). h/t @MaseDenver

FORECAST: Sunny, with a high near 68. West northwest wind 9 to 11 mph, with gusts as high as 17 mph, according to the National Weather Service.

Rashard Mendendall, who at 25 years old and with two 1,000-yard rushing seasons will be one of the youngest and most accomplished running backs to hit the free-agent market Tuesday, has drawn interest from the Broncos.

The level of the Broncos’ interest in Mendenhall is difficult to gauge. They have a menu of 12 to 15 free agent players who they believe could fit their roster under the right circumstances and for the right price. While contacting agents of these free-agent players, the Broncos to date have said little more than they have some interest and they’ll back to them later.

The Broncos, on the strength of their spectacular second-half comeback at San Diego and Sunday night whipping of the New Orleans Saints, have seen their odds of becoming AFC champions improve to 4-to-1, according to the Las Vegas Hotel & Casino.

That’s better than the Pittsburgh Steelers (11 to 2) and Baltimore Ravens (11 to 1).

The Broncos held the run-oriented Pittsburgh Steelers to 2.9 yards per carry in the opener and stuffed Atlanta tailback Michael Turner to just 42 yards on 17 carries — a 2.5 yard average — on Monday night.

Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey and Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger talk to replacement officials during the third quarter of play at Sports Authority Field at Mile High in Denver on Sunday, Sept. 9, 2012.

After losing back-to-back games to the Broncos at Sports Authority Field at Mile High, who can blame Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger for not wanting to catch another glimpse of our Rocky Mountains?

Roethlisberger is 2-4 in games that count (regular season and playoffs) against the Broncos, and 2-3 in Denver. Roethlisberger quarterbacked the Steelers to wins here in the 2005 AFC Championship game, and a Monday Night Football game in 2009.

But Roethlisberger’s last two trips here have been far less successful.

Broncos Quarterback Peyton Manning hands the ball off the first quarter of play against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Sports Authority Field at Mile High in Denver on Sunday, Sept. 9, 2012.

More people in Denver watched last night’s Broncos-Steelers game than have watched any regular-season Broncos game since 2003.

The folks at NBC Sports said the Sunday Night Football broadcast of Denver’s 31-19 drew a 44.2 rating in Denver, and a 67 share, meaning that 67 percent of televisions in this market were tuned to NBC. The previous high for a regular-season game here was for a Broncos-Raiders primetime game in 2003 that drew a 44.5/61.

With Andre Caldwell deactivated, the Broncos are only dressing four receivers: Eric Decker, Demaryius Thomas, Matt Willis and Brandon Stokley. And Stokley is primarily a slot guy.

If one of the outside receivers gets dinged, tight end Julius Thomas would primarily fill in. He was supposed to be the emergency receiver last year in Game 2 against Cincinnati, but when Julius Thomas suffered an ankle injury, backup quarterback Tim Tebow became the third receiver.

Tebow got in for three plays with John Fox and Mike McCoy deciding to go most of the game with two receiver sets.

Peyton Manning’s No. 18 Broncos jersey has been the top seller among NFL players since the day he signed with the team. In the latest update released by NFLShop.com., 49ers middle linebacker Patrick Willis is the top seller among defensive players and the Giants’ Victor Cruz is the top-selling receiver.

If Broncos right guard Chris Kuper had no luck it would be better than the breaks he’s been getting in 2012. On January 1, in the final regular-season game of 2011 against Kansas City, Kuper suffered a gruesome dislocated left ankle and multiple fractures in his lower left fibula.

He was just coming back from that injury when during an 11-on-11 training camp drill Tuesday he suffered a broken ulna in his left forearm. The injury is expected to sideline the senior member of the Broncos’ offensive line for the next six weeks.

A six-week injury would carry through the first three games of the regular season when the Broncos’ opponents are the Pittsburgh Steelers, Atlanta Falcons and Houston Texans.

DOVE VALLEY — The Broncos’ signing of Keith Brooking this week, the team now has two of the 10 players left from the 1998 draft class. The other, of course, is quarterback Peyton Manning, the No. 1 pick in that draft. Brooking was selected at No. 12.

As we waited for the start of today’s Broncos training camp practice, Jeff Legwold and I played a trivia game with members of the Broncos’ PR staff as we tried to come up with the other eight.

Now, you guys can play along, too. No cheating!

The others were also first-round draft picks. Two others are quarterbacks. Three were selected in the sixth round. Can you name them?

This player is on the roster of the Broncos’ Week 1 opponent and was active in the players’ negotiations with the NFL during the lockout.

This player is a linebacker for one of the Broncos’ divisional rivals, and he’s never been to a playoff game.

This player is a defensive lineman who was a one-year member of the Broncos, and was very outspoken in the media.

This often-disgruntled wide receiver has been close to retirement before, but is taking another shot with a west coast team this year.

This player beat out Peyton Manning to win the Heisman Trophy in 1997.

This player was a starting quarterback in the NFL last year. He was the starting quarterback for a different team in the Super Bowl within the last six years.

This player plays on the offensive line for the Baltimore Ravens, and last year, won the league’s Walter Payton Man of the Year award.

This player will handle the long-snapping duties for the Broncos’ first preseason opponent.

We’ll post the answers in a blog later today! Until then, see if you can figure it out, and then go quiz your officemates.

I have talked to people close to the Peyton Manning situation and the expectation as of today is the bidding war will come down to Mike Shanahan’s Washington Redskins and the Miami Dolphins.

The New York Jets and Seattle Seahawks will also make a run, as well up to three or four others.

The Broncos will not be in the bidding, although where Manning lands will create a domino affect that could affect which free-agent quarterback Denver does sign to back up Tim Tebow.

Indirectly, Manning was a reason why Shanahan decided to move away from quarterback Jake Plummer following the Broncos’ AFC championship game loss in the 2005 season. Losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers at home in the conference championship left Shanahan and his coaching staff with the consolation prize of coaching the AFC Pro Bowl team in Hawaii.

Matt Prater kicks a 38-yard field goal against the Kansas City Chiefs last weekend in Denver.

The Denver Post would be remiss, then, if it didn’t point out the fairly new NFL overtime rules that will be in effect when the Broncos meet the Pittsburgh Steelers in a first-round AFC playoff game Sunday at Sports Authority Field at Mile High.

Specifically worth noting is a Prater field goal in overtime might not be enough for the Broncos if he converts off the first possession. Say it’s tied, 17-17 after regulation. The Broncos win the overtime coin flip, take the ball, and their drive finishes in a Prater field goal.

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger calls a play against the Cleveland Browns in Cleveland on Jan. 1, 2012.

As the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback who has played in three Super Bowls and has also been involved in his share of embarrassing off-field incidents, Ben Roethlisberger is accustomed to dealing with the pros and cons of life in the public eye.

But even Big Ben seemed astounded by the constant attention — both good and bad — paid to Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow.

“It’s got to be tough,” Roethlisberger said during a conference call today with the Denver media. “Every time you turn it on, you see something about Tebow. I can only imagine what it’s like for his teammates. Just watching today, it’s the Steelers versus Tim Tebow. No, it’s the Steelers versus the Broncos, so I can only imagine what it’s like for him with all the eyes and the attention on him and the pressure. It can’t be fun. I feel for him a little bit.”

Nicki Jhabvala is a Broncos beat writer for The Denver Post. She was previously the digital news editor for sports. Before arriving in Denver, she spent five years at Sports Illustrated working primarily as its online NBA editor. She also spent two years as a home page editor at the New York Times.